Healthy Datko working at guard

May 11, 2013

Loading Photo Galleries ...

Written by

Green Bay Packers offensive linemen Andrew Datko, left, and David Bakhtiari during rookie orientation camp practice in the Don Hutson Center on Friday. Datko, a tackle last season, is working at guard. H. Marc Larson/Press-Gazette Media

More

ADVERTISEMENT

With his left shoulder back at full strength for months now, Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Andrew Datko is working at left guard rather than his usual position of tackle at this weekend’s rookie minicamp.

Datko and other players who were in the NFL in some form or other last season are eligible for the camp because they were on the 53-man roster for less than three games last season. Datko spent 2012 on the Packers’ practice squad all year and thus never was on the 53-man roster.

Datko has played tackle since his senior year in high school and doesn’t know if this is a full fledged position switch, though it appears likely the move is to find out if he can play several positions. Teams generally dress only seven offensive linemen for games.

“You can work on your craft, work on your versatility (in the offseason),” Datko said. “In the NFL it’s hard to be just a one position guy, they can dress only so many on game day, so the more positions you know the better. This could help me a lot.”

Datko last played guard as a junior in high school. He was a four-year starter at left tackle at Florida State, and last year in training camp he worked at left and right tackle. He missed the second half of training camp because of a concussion.

“I feel real good at guard,” he said. “It’s good. You have to shorten everything down at guard, because it’s one step here, one step there. As a tackle you’re kicking three steps, so I’ve got to put my mind, clear everything back a little bit.”

Datko has had surgery to repair a torn labrum on both shoulders, the most recent being his left, which he injured in the fourth game of his senior season at Florida State. Despite being a four-year starter at left tackle at a major football school he was only a seventh-round pick in part because of concerns about his shoulder strength and durability.

When the Packers drafted him he still was rehabilitating his shoulder and on Saturday said he didn’t feel like it was back to full strength until about Week 4 last season. He said he was able to lift weights without restriction when he started training this offseason.

“(The shoulder) is not even a question,” he said. “I’m kind of knocking people when they keep asking me, don’t even worry about it, even the doctors, they don’t even worry about it anymore. It’s a gorilla off my back.”